Pro Cycling Discussion 2019

SoliD · 15 Jan 2019 at 11:39

And the road season is off with the people's choice classic - won by Caleb Ewan from Sagan on an Aluminium bike in a good marketing ploy by Specialized.

TDU currently underway with Stage 1 completed.

Viviani wins it but not yet seen the stage

For me I cannot wait for the classics to start, but first finish CX season and hope for some classic World Champs, although suspect it will be a walkover by VdP in the mens, but the womens race should be brilliant and well fought out if the World Cups are anything to go by.

Roady · 15 Jan 2019 at 12:53

Van Art really that much off the pace for the men's CX? Part of me hopes that's because he's balanced some training towards the road as he was a really good watch in the Classics 2018. Not really watched any CX this year after catching a couple of races last year. Just no time!

TDU is normally my first watch back but have a feeling that will be summaries rather than the whole race again (other things to watch with the other half now staying up later means less cycling tv time! Boo!).

SoliD · 15 Jan 2019 at 13:37

Roady said:
Van Art really that much off the pace for the men's CX? Part of me hopes that's because he's balanced some training towards the road as he was a really good watch in the Classics 2018. Not really watched any CX this year after catching a couple of races last year. Just no time!

TDU is normally my first watch back but have a feeling that will be summaries rather than the whole race again (other things to watch with the other half now staying up later means less cycling tv time! Boo!).

WvA is miles off, he didn't even win his nationals at the weekend! But then he did this a couple of years ago and smashed up the Worlds! He has the capability if he can balance his training out. As you say his season feels more balanced towards pushing for the Classics!

I'm the same, will probably catch up with the finishes and watch Wallunga Hill!

Roady · 15 Jan 2019 at 15:43

Sagan ca be similar - seems to be totally out of form and possibly not even suited to the course, then takes a convincing worlds title again and again. Except last year when they built as course as much anti-Sagan as they could. Harsh. lol

Same, will watch all of Wallunga. Just for the moment of Richie domination that nobody else seems to have an answer for!

xdcx · 15 Jan 2019 at 16:00

WvA is way off or more so I see it the case that Toon Aerts has come on insane amounts into this year whilst VdP is just as outrageous as ever.
It's created quite the gulf in CX but I cannot wait to see these lads step up in the spring time on the road. It'll be interesting.

Cannot wait for the proper cycling to start at Omloop.
I've got pennies on Suyven for PR, Benoot for Flanders.

TDU. Proper meh to me, only reason I show any sort of care is because it feels so long ago since road season finished.
I have a wee £5 on Wout Poels for the GC as Richie Porte will crash into/over/with something by the weekend.

SoliD · 15 Jan 2019 at 19:04

He's had moments this year, so he is either doing a GB at the Olympics and timing it perfect or the opposition have just stepped it up and he hasn't matched it/gone backwards, hoping the former so there is at least a race, a VdP lights to flag would be boring! As I said though the womens racing this year has been fantastic, and will be definitely worth a watch!

and i've just remembered I won't be here to watch for most of April so will miss Flanders, Paris Roubaix and Amstel Gold :'(

Roady · 20 Jan 2019 at 13:35

xdcx said:
TDU. Proper meh to me, only reason I show any sort of care is because it feels so long ago since road season finished.

Even more meh for me - the Eurosport coverage is only 30 mins of highlights with 1 set of adverts, 5-10 minutes of build up talk over landscapes/start/finish and then 2-3 talks about wildlife sanctuaries. So around 15 mins of coverage.

Then throw in the fact only the previous day is on demand/catch up, no further back so I can't even watch the stages I missed (and thought I could catch up on). Why the hell did I renew my subscription. :rolleyes:

xdcx · 21 Jan 2019 at 09:23

Roady said:
Even more meh for me - the Eurosport coverage is only 30 mins of highlights with 1 set of adverts, 5-10 minutes of build up talk over landscapes/start/finish and then 2-3 talks about wildlife sanctuaries. So around 15 mins of coverage.

Then throw in the fact only the previous day is on demand/catch up, no further back so I can't even watch the stages I missed (and thought I could catch up on). Why the hell did I renew my subscription.

EuroSport don't typically even cover it, do they? My first two recordings I set on Sky for it on eurosport ended up being Masters Snooker! I went into planner and played it and it said it was "tour down under" yet it was 30mins recorded of snooker....
I ended up just watching the last few KM's each morning via the link on steephill.tv.

You will be happy of your sub to Eurosport come March onwards pal

Derek W · 28 Jan 2019 at 07:45

Just seen a bit on the BBC news this morning about an amateur team persuit who won a competition over the weekend and performed better than the Olympic team. A group of 4 guys from derby. Hopefully the website is updated at some point to include the story

Edit

It was this lot https://mobile.twitter.com/huubwattbike?lang=en

xdcx · 28 Jan 2019 at 08:56

Pringle W said:
Just seen a bit on the BBC news this morning about an amateur team persuit who won a competition over the weekend and performed better than the Olympic team. A group of 4 guys from derby. Hopefully the website is updated at some point to include the story

Edit

It was this lot https://mobile.twitter.com/huubwattbike?lang=en

Huub WattBike.
They have been spanking the GB team in the 4K pursuit all winter at the WC's it's only now folk are realising them because the crappy media can no longer just ignore them.

The BBC not covering them has been a running joke for a wee while now. As an example, in Canada the GB team came 3rd and that was the headline for the story.... yet HWB came 2nd and they didn't get a mention despite being as much a UK team as the GB team

They're a great laugh. Always good banter and taking the P out of the "establishment" which I 100% agree needs to be challenged and poked fun at because it is a joke.

For example, John Archibald from HWB has now done the 2nd and 3rd fastest 4K IP times EVER. The only time to have ever been done faster than his was done at altitude. He is currently the best 4K IP rider in the world but he is not on the GB programme so will not be selected for an Olympic or WC GB team.... He is also now the British 4K IP champ. No support from BC at all which when you see some of the riders on BC support just shows how ridiculous it is.

They have a proper flag they made for the Peoples Republic of Derbados which was even flown from the cathedral in Derby

Berger · 28 Jan 2019 at 08:58

Maybe they should defect and become Russian...

GSVBagpuss · 28 Jan 2019 at 10:07

Huub Wattbike are brilliant and are setting a new bar for TP in terms of turn lengths etc

Jonny ///M · 28 Jan 2019 at 13:49

John Archibald is impressive, the guy solo rides away from bunches up here and makes it look easy.

Glad I don't have to race against him, his dad likes to ride on the front of races I'll be doing and is pretty strong too. Obviously got the good genes.

Roady · 28 Jan 2019 at 16:38

Pringle W said:
Just seen a bit on the BBC news this morning about an amateur team persuit who won a competition over the weekend and performed better than the Olympic team. A group of 4 guys from derby. Hopefully the website is updated at some point to include the story

Edit

It was this lot https://mobile.twitter.com/huubwattbike?lang=en

xdcx said:
Huub WattBike.<snip>

Yup mega team and great they're finally getting some recognition. Just goes to show there are other ways into cycling than via BC/GB Track.

With riders like John A, Dan Bigham, Harry & Charlie Tanfield in the stable/on the roster. They're a force to be reckoned with!

But with Harry now in Katusha I guess that's the last serious track riding he'll be doing. Shame! Look how aero his tuck is for such a big frame - two pics on twitter, he's 2nd wheel on the Cervelo. Harrys other half (Sophie Lankford) came 2nd in the womens TP too. Imagine the genes their kids will have! Haha

Also

Edmund Bradbury said:
Got the San Salvador KOM, got home to find Alejandro Valverde had already beaten my time.

Haha
https://www.strava.com/activities/2108972127

Berger · 3 Feb 2019 at 11:07

Eurosport 2 managing to miss out most of the important bits of the women’s Cx.

The commentary team are for multiple streams though as it was continuous.

SoliD · 3 Feb 2019 at 16:45

Same as always!

The women's u23 was a amazing earlier today really worth a watch!

Pidcock and tullett were just sublime yesterday! Anna kay got a bit of bad luck and went from there as she got a bit desperate to make up the positions, Harriet harden(sp) had another amazing ride considering her age although not as strong a ride as last year still rode well all the way through.

Berger · 3 Feb 2019 at 19:20

I haven't watched the men's yet. I have it recorded but might wait for a YouTube UCI stream of it uninterrupted.

SoliD · 3 Feb 2019 at 19:44

Don’t think you’ll get one over here but I believe Japan do....

xdcx · 4 Feb 2019 at 08:41

CX World's panned out exactly as I/everyone on earth thought it would in terms of the win.
I was seriously gutted for Aerts on that last lap though, how grim was that?!?!

SoliD · 4 Feb 2019 at 09:26

xdcx said:
CX World's panned out exactly as I/everyone on earth thought it would in terms of the win.
I was seriously gutted for Aerts on that last lap though, how grim was that?!?!

He's had a good year, it's how WvA bounces back, sorts his contracts, team etc out or just goes over to the road. Was a real cracking first 20 minutes but the strength just came to the for, would have been interesting to see if WvA was ahead of Aerts and hadn't got held up if he could have held on to MvP wheel for longer. Aerts was so unlucky, but he was right on the limit that last lap. Be interesting to see if Iserbyt and Pidcock move up to Seniors next year.